Compiled by Bob Cossey

See us on the Internet at www.74squadron.org.uk

Association President   AVM B L Robinson FRAeS FCMI RAF Ret`d

                        2F-6 No 2 Alley 2 Line 31,

                        Hu Chian Street,

                        Hsi Chih 221,

                        Taipei County,

                        Taiwan.

                        Mobile (Taiwan) 00886916660103

                               (UK) 07884444030

                        E Mail: boz74@ms69.hinet

Association Chairman    Dave Roome OBE

                        Bowbridge Cottage, Bowbridge Lane, Prestbury,

                        Cheltenham, GL52 3BL

                        Tel No 01242 522613

                        E Mail: roome@freeuk.com

Association Treasurer   Rhod Smart

                        Bentleigh Farmhouse

                        Pitton

                        Salisbury

                        Wiltshire

                        SP5 1EG

                        Tel No 01980 863480

                        E Mail: rhod@knight-funding.co.uk

Association Secretary   Bob Cossey MILT, DipEurHum

                        16 Pine Rd., Thorpe, Norwich, Norfolk, NR7 9LE

                        Tel No 01603 464071

                        E Mail: bobatsne@aol.com

Your Contributions.......

It is a continuing feature of Tiger News that we include items of Members news.

This also encompasses, of course, stories and anecdotes which you may wish to share with us -

I know from personal experience that you all have a wealth of these!

I look forward to hearing from you. I may not be able to include all of them immediately

but rest assured they will find a place in time......

*

Photo Archive

I am in the process of consolidating the Association's photo archive - scanning the photos

we have and putting them on disc for safe keeping. I am also seeking to enhance what we are

holding by asking individual Tigers whether they would be prepared to let me scan their

own photos for the same purpose. It seems to me that to be able to hold a central archive

of photographs is a super way of safeguarding the Squadron's pictorial history. I have

approached some of you individually about this - but would like to appeal to everyone in

the Association with 74 Sqn photos to consider entrusting me with them for a few weeks so

that I can get them all onto disc. Once completed copies of the disc would of course be

available to anyone who wants one. The photos would also be a good resource for the

BBC Remembrance project - see later in this issue for details. I look forward to being

swamped with photos from all eras of the Tigers!

*

Tales of a Wandering Tiger...

Denzel Beard was a Meteor Tiger but had an eventful career prior to that.

Here he recounts some of his adventures!First off though, to set the scene Denzel spent some

(considerable) time with his log books and compiled this list of aircraft types flown

and the number of different aircraft of each type.

13 Tiger Moths          58 Harvard Mks 1, 3a and 4    29 Hurricane 2bs and 2cs

10 Kittyhawk Mk 4s      46 Spitfire Vs and IXs        2 Albacores

1 Proctor         1 Fairchild Argus       3 Corsairs

5 Martinets       2 Oxfords               6 Expediters

27 Ansons         35 Baltimores                 7 Beaufighters

3 Wellingtons           15 Meteors

In addition to this impressive tally, Denzel flew as 2nd pilot on the following:

26 Wellingtons          5 Marauders                  7 Hudsons

5 Venturas

And as a passenger on:

1 Sunderland and 2 Empire flying boats returning from Karachi to Cairo

1 Valencia from Habbaniyah to Basra and back (trucks on the ground overtook them!)

1 Lodestar from Rhodesia to Cairo

1 Ensign

1 Curtis Commando from Coimbatore to Karachi

17 Dakotas

1 Liberator from Cairo to Oakington. Home at last!

Can any others of you provide as extensive a list as this?

  "We used to say only fools and birds fly - and birds don`t fly at night," Denzel told me.

e recalled an incident in which he had to take something or someone to landing ground H3

on the pipeline from Iraq flying the Communications Flight Baltimore. Things got a bit

delayed and once airborne it quickly became apparent there was no hope of making H3 so

he had to land at Lydda and stay the night. It had been some time since he had done

any night flying - and that was on Harvards in Rhodesia. On final approach in the gathering

gloom he throttled back and was amazed to see flames coming from the exhaust stubs which are

not far from the eye in a Baltimore. He couldn't see a thing for a bit - but did get down OK.

You don`t notice flaming exhausts during daylight of course.

  Another incident involved some Spits. "We were next to a storage MU at

Landing Ground (LG) 237, known as Kilo 40 (the distance from Cairo up the road to Alexandria)

and also known as Gebel Hamzi. There were up to 300 planes of all types standing in the

sand there waiting for use. On this particular day nine of us were detailed to move nine

Spits to Helwan for preparation for squadron service. Off we all went but the fun started

at the other end. Two landed successfully, six did wheels up landings and I had to do a one

wheeler! The two who had landed first were so busy watching me that one taxied into the

other and sawed his wing off! The undercarriage locks on rotating bolts. They were all

jammed with sand, so none of us got into trouble except for the pair taxiing who spent

two months serving behind the bar and got red endorsements. The CO said to me - `I hear

you made a good job of your one wheel landing, but next time knock the switches off and

then you'll only break one prop blade instead of two!`"

 They aren't all happy or amusing times in the service by any means. Some are outright sad,

almost tragic.  For example, Denzel had delivered a Spitfire to Mersa Matruh and on asking

control about getting back he was told that `one of your chaps is here taking a Beaufighter

back to Cairo in the morning. Be ready at 0900.` At the appointed time a very scruffy chap

appeared and introduced himself as Geoff. They got in and Denzel sat on the main spar

behind Geoff`s seat. It was only then he began to suspect there was something odd going on.

The cockpit had begin to smell like a distillery. Geoff started up and taxied out and by

then the fumes were overpowering. He was now sweating profusely and shaking. He was

obviously drunk and Denzel was very glad to arrive safely. But that wasn't quite the

end of the tale as he recalls.

  "When I started moving Beaufighters myself - always to Cyprus and Famagusta where there

was an OTU for the type - I learned about the Three Barrels. The Officers` Mess, the NCOs`

Mess and the Airmens` Mess in Cairo each had a barrel - obviously in the proper proportions

of 18, 12 and 6 gallons. If the barrels were empty, whoever took the next Beau to Cyprus

took the barrels with him. He would walk the main street in Famagusta where there were a

selection of bodegas each containing three vats of 1, 2 and 3 star brandy. You were

supposed to sample the 3 star barrels and decide which was the best and then get the

barrels filled. The brandy cost œ1.00 per gallon and was sold in the Mess for œ1.00 a

bottle!

  "Now Geoff had had a Dear John letter from his wife who had gone off with a Yank, a

loss from which he never recovered. As a result he used to consume two bottles of

brandy every night and then try and run over various unfortunate tents which quite

often collapsed as a result, causing considerable uproar and language which had

nothing all to do with Egyptian! Whilst progressing down the lines like this he would

be shouting `Whey Hey` at the top of his voice!

  "If you had a day off in Cairo you had to report to the CO to show that you were properly

turned out. He would look at Geoff in his booze stained shirt, sagging socks and distorted

forage cap and shout words to the effect that `you are a f----- disgrace, get out of my

sight before...`etc etc.

  "A few years later, sometime in 1948, my wife (then my fiancee) and I were sitting in the

lounge bar of the Marine on the seafront in Sidmouth, enjoying a glass of Pimms, when I

heard `Whey Hey` from the public bar. It was Geoff. The landlord fetched him round. He was

travelling in furnishing fabrics that he imported from Belgium. He drove a sit-up-and-beg

Austin 16 with old fashioned radiator flaps down each side of the bonnet. About six months

later I went to a 2 ADU reunion and learned that Geoff was dead. He tripped over a doorstep,

drunk, and broke his neck and died poor soul. For him it was a happy release. His life had

finished a long time previously in the desert."

Denzel went on to tell me of another occasion in which he was about to set off with others

from Gibraltar in Martinets en route to Coimbatore. The Flight was waiting for take off

clearance when the Met Flight Gladiator came in. At the Rock the wind doesn't always blow

very true and as he touched down he did a big bounce again and again and again.... "Each

time he drifted a bit more towards Spain," recalled Denzel. "Eventually the Gladiator hit

a concrete blockhouse on the edge of the runway. The petrol tank split, the pilot was

smothered in fuel, couldn't open his canopy, the airfield's fire engine wouldn't start -

and he was dead within a couple of minutes."

  Denzel`s Flight postponed their departure until the next day. Their first stop was Bone,

then Tunis. In Tunis the `other ranks` always tried to stay in the US Transit Centre - the

Hotel de Gink. It was always clean and the food was good. But on this occasion it was full

and they had to go to the RAF place where the food was disgusting and the place filthy.

The result was that Denzel quickly contracted some form of food poisoning but nonetheless

the next morning they all set off for Castel Benito. "After half an hour I was in deep

trouble, doubled up with pain and being sick. I called up the Boss and said I would have

to force land. We came upon Sfax where there was a primitive landing ground and I was told

to go in first. The other eight landed in hot pursuit and we all rushed off into the dunes

to do what we had to do.......We arrived at Castel Benito two hours late. The MO came to

greet us and suggested we should have got the first aid kit out of the tail locker.

I told him that would have been a bit difficult flying a single seat aircraft....."

  First flight in a Marauder was made with a Fl Off `Tiger` Camplin although Denzel

cannot recall why he was so called. Both pilots were taken to Kasfereet in an Anson

to pick up the Marauder. Neither had seen the type before - a dark green monster

recalls Denzel - let alone flown one. Particularly significant was the complete

lack of experience with a tricycle undercarriage! Like many other aircraft, particularly

American built aircraft, the Marauder was popularly known as a widow-maker. Amongst

other things, the port side prop was alleged to go out of control and fly into the

cockpit.

Kasfereet had the longest tarmac runway in the Middle East. Messrs Camplin and Beard

started up and taxied to the runway's end. By that time both had decided it was a very

comfortable cockpit with nice seats, individual ashtrays and lovely quilted green

padding around it! They were not very impressed with the red long range fuel tank, half

full, reclining in the bomb bay. They set off down the runway and Tiger had the stick

right forward to get the tail up of this tricyle carriaged aeroplane!! Nevertheless,

they somehow left the runway behind, probably courtesy of hitting a fairly substantial

bump which got them airborne! By this time they were both quite definitely in a state

of shock and were passing over Alexandria- `hardly ice cold,` adds Denzel! - before they

got wheels and flaps up. After some concerned consultation they came to the conclusion

that the stick should have been pulled back on a trike! Panic over, they discovered they

could pick up superb dance band music on the radio and the Yankee K rations were very tasty.

   A final tale for now concerns Denzel leading a few Harvards in a Communications Flight

Anson down to Khartoum. He had with him the usual Navigator and Wireless Operator/Air Gunner.

They landed at Khartoum mid morning, had some lunch and prepared to return to Wadi Halfar.

Denzel went to the Met Office to find out about the weather. Wonderful all the way to Cairo

they said. They had not been long airborne when they hit a most tremendous thunderstorm!

The WOp had the trailing edge aerial out and there was lightning running about all over

the place. The Anson was climbing at 2,500ft a minute. Airspeed read 50mph. Looking down he

could see the sand rolling along like an enormous breaking wave. Denzel executed a sharp

turn  to port, picked up the Nile and followed it all the way to Wadi Halfar - but doing

it that way was something of a diversion. He landed and taxied to dispersal. When the erk

signalled for the engines to be shut down they did so of their own accord. Denzel had run

out of fuel!

*

Spitfire 1 P9306

Proudly displayed in the Museum of Science and Engineering in Chicago is a Spitfire that flew with the Tigers during the Battle of Britain. Craig Brandon has been doing some research into which of 74`s pilots actually flew it, when and doing what. His findings are listed below:

7th July 1940                             P9306 delivered to 74 to Hornchurch

9th July          Laurie White            Air test of the new aircraft

10th July         Peter Stevenson         The first day of the Battle. Flew sorties at 0655,                                           0900 and 1035. Destroyed one Me109 and                                              damaged a 109 and two Me110s.

11th July         Sub Lt Wallace          Flew a recce at 1120. On secondment from the                                        FAA to 74.             

11th July         Peter Stevenson         Practice No 2 attacks 1830

12th July         Sub Lt Wallace          Practice 1130

12th July         Sailor Malan            From Manston. Patrol 1810. Shared an He111.

12th July         Tony Mould        From Manston to Hornchurch 2045

13th July         Tony Mould        Patrol 1230

13th July         Sailor Malan            Patrol 1445

13th July         Douglas Hastings  Convoy Patrol 1745

14th July         Douglas Hasting         Air drill. Escort to Magister 1455 (to and from                                           Dengie Flats gunnery range)

14th July         John Freeborn           Formation practice 2000

15th July         Peter St John           To Manston 1250

15th July         Douglas Hastings  Manston to Hornchurch

16th July         Douglas Hastings  Patrol 1400

17th July         Thomas Kirk       Formation practice 1235 and 1545

18th July         Piers Kelly       Air test 1125

18th July         Ben Draper        Patrols from Manston 1310, 1955 and 2050.                                                 Returned to Hornchurch.

19th July         Ben Draper        Patrols 0830, 1610 and 1830

20th July         Peter St John           Patrol 0710

20th July         Ben Draper        Patrols 0930, 1130 and 1545

20th July         Piers Kelly       Patrol 1155

21st July         Thomas Kirk       Practice 1845

25th July         Laurie White            Air test 1125. Patrol 1345.

28th July         Laurie White            Air test 1000

28th July         Peter St John           To Manston 1245. Combat 1955: Me109                                                 damaged. Interception 2105. Pilot passed out                                        through lack of oxygen.

29th July         Peter St John           Patrols from Manston 0940, 1105, 1330 and 1355

29th July         Willie Nelson           Local flying 1530

30th July         Peter St John           Patrols 0515 and 0925

31st July         Don Cobden        Patrols 1255, 1910 and 2100. From Manston.

1st August 1940   Don Cobden              Patrol 0845 and 1330. From Hornchurch.

1st August        Thomas Kirk       Recce 1515.

1st August        Don Cobden        To Manston. Patrols 1600 and 1730. Convoy                                           patrol 1910.

2nd August        Don Cobden        To Manston 0530. To Hornchurch 0900

3rd August        Peter St John           To Manston 1255. Patrol 2050.

4th August        Peter St John           Patrol 1510

5th August        Peter St John           To Manston 0550. From Manston 0830.

6th August        Henryk Szczesny         Experience flight 1620. Joined 74 5/8/40. Polish.

7th August        Thomas Kirk       Local flying 1800

8th August        Willie Nelson           To Manston 0500. To Hornchurch 0910.

8th August        Jan Rogowski            Local flying 1320. From 303 Polish Squadron.

9th August        Thomas Kirk       To Manston 1300. Patrols 1845 and 2040

10th August       Thomas Kirk       To Manston and patrols  0920, 1120, 1305 and 1420.

11th August       Thomas Kirk       Patrols 0510, 0750, 1000 and 1430. One Me109                                        destroyed and one damaged on third sortie.

14th August       Jan Rogowski            To RAF Wittering for R&R

16th August       Thomas Kirk       To K3 Satellite Landing Ground 1055

19th August       John Mungo Park         To K3 1550

21st August       Thomas Kirk       To Kirton in Lindsey 1740

23rd August       Sgt Parkes        Air drill

27th August       John Freeborn           Air test 1800

28th August       Peter St John           Patrol 0545

28th August       Walter Franklin         Recce 0930

28th August       Ben Draper        Air drill 1610

29th August       Peter St John           Camera gun intercepts 0915

29th August       Willie Nelson           Camera gun intercepts 1055

29th August       Ben Draper        Filming for The March of Time 1620. Patrol 1750.

30th August       Walter Franklin         Anti Aircraft Co-operation 0935

30th August       Bob Spurdle       Anti Aircraft Co-operation 1030

30th August       Ben Draper        Patrol 1610

7th Sept 1940           Stanislaw Brzezina      To Wittering 1815. To Kirton in Lindsay 1925

8th September           Thomas Kirk       Formation practice 1045

8th September           Stanislaw Brzezina      To Coltishall 1015. Patrol 1435. To Duxford 1910.

11th September          Stanislaw Brzezina      From Duxford 0700. Patrol 1540. To Coltishall 1900.

This is the last mention of P9306 in the 540s.

It was around this time that 74 began to re-equip with Spitfire IIs.

*

Stanislaw Brzezina

  One of the great pleasures of being Secretary of the 74 (F) Tiger Squadron Association

is to be able to make new contact with any Tiger, or the next of kin of any Tiger,

especially perhaps those older Tigers amongst you. Thanks to the good offices of Doug Tidy

I have been able to talk to Andrew Brzezina, son of  Stanislaw Brzezina whose name appears

at the end of the above listing of those who flew P9306. Andrew has been telling me

something of his father's story.

Stanislaw Brzezina was on 74 Squadron at the same time as another Pole, Henryk Szczesny,

in 1940. Because of the difficulties in pronunciation of their names, the two of them

were known to all as Breezy and Sneezy!

Stanislaw was born on March 5th 1904 in Lodz and when old enough joined the Polish army

prior to which, as a fifteen year old, he took part in the Polish Bolshevik war between

April 1919 and  November 1920. He joined an Infantry Officer Cadets School course in 1924 

and moved on to the Polish Air Force Cadets School in 1925. In 1927 he was posted to No 3

Air Regiment, completing his pilot's course at Deblin in 1929. Thereafter his service record

reads as follows:

Rejoined 3 Air Regiment July 1920 to May 1930.

Attached to 2 Air Regiment May - June 1930

Reassigned to 3 Air Regiment June 1930 to October 1931

Posted as a Navigation Instructor at the Air Force Officers Training Centre Deblin April 1931

Posted to 4 Air Regiment November 1935 to March 1938

Attached to the Flying School at Grudziadz from March 1938 to March 1939

and the Flying School Air Force Training Centre from March 1939 to September 1939.

As a brief aside at this point, for those amongst you who are interested in aircraft types,

Stanislaw`s log book for the years he flew in Poland lists some familiar and some very

unfamiliar names.  Light aircraft he flew included Morane Saulniers, Bartel Vs, PZL 5s

and 26s, RWD 5s, 6s, 8s and 9s, Tiger Moths and fifteen different types of glider.

Fighters he flew included Spad 57s and 61s, Avias, Urbaults, P7s and P11As and Cs.

In the aerobatic role he became familiar with PWS 14s, 16s, 18s and 26s as well as the

Jungmeister. On Army Co-operation work his log book lists Bristols, Breguet XIVs,

Potez XVs and XXVs and Czaplas.

Stanislaw was captured and held prisoner for two days by Polish Bolsheviks at the outbreak

of the war with Germany but escaped and together with other officers forded the River

Dniester and crossed into Rumania on 24th September 1939, where he was interned until

November 1939. He was released and took ship for Marseilles. He joined the Polish Air

Force which had fled Poland and established itself at Lyon under French command. But

with the relentless advance of German forces and the inevitable fall of France, the

Poles moved to the United Kingdom and Stanislaw joined the RAFVR at RAF Eastchurch,

transferring to RAF Blackpool in May 1940. He was assigned to 5 OTU in July 1940.

74 was his first posting to an operational squadron and he joined the Tigers at

Hornchurch on August 5th 1940 when they were in the thick of things.

Stanislaw`s log book for the time he was with the Tigers - from August 5th to 19th September -

shows that his first flight or the Squadron was in a Master (N7681) on the 6th for circuits

and landings. On the 9th he was at Sutton Bridge for air to air firing. The real business

began on the 11th August, the most successful day in the squadron's history as far as

downing enemy aircraft was concerned. Stanislaw made three interceptions.

"Interception flying Spitfire coded E. Fighting patrol over the Channel.

First meeting with German bombers. Combat. I fired. Did not see the result.

Interception flying Spitfire coded E. Dog fight with the enemy.

Cooling system shot up. Fired at Messerschmitt but did not see the result.

Interception flying Spitfire coded D. Did not meet the enemy."

On the 13th, flying N3091, Breezy tangled with the enemy again during a 60 minute patrol.

"Shot down two Do217s. Was shot down myself. Parachute jump. Concussion."

He was back at Hornchurch and back in the air on the 15th when the Tigers were pulled from the `front line` and sent to Wittering for recuperation. Thereafter it was a case of sector patrols, formations, practice intercepts, DF homing (by this time they were at Kirton in Lindsay). On the 9th September the Squadron moved to Coltishall and operated for a few days as part of the Big Wing concept, flying down to Duxford to do so. During the course of one of these on September 11th -

"1 hour 35 mins flying Spitfire coded D. Dog fight over London.

Fired at Ju88. Did not see result."

September 15th.

"1 hour 10 minute patrol flying Spitfire coded D.

Intercept Do17 and Messerschmitt. No combat."

And finally on the 18th:

"55 minute patrol flying Spitfire coded F. Intercept Me109."

Stanisalw left 74 on September 19th and joined 308 Sqn. Thereafter he had a very

varied and interesting career with the RAF -

306 Sqn                             from 11.10.40

HQ 12 Group                         21.10.40

HQ 9 Group                          13.01.41

317 Sqn                                   26.02.41

RAF Exeter                          10.08.41

HQ Fighter Command                        01.09.41

RAF Heston                          25.09.42

149 Air Command                           15.02.43

RAF Heston                          14.03.43

Polish Inspectorate General               27.03.43

HQ Polish Air Force                       01.10.43

No 2 Polish Despatch Centre. Departure to USA.  13.03.45.

General Staff School Fort Leavenworth Kansas    19.03.45

Polish Air Force Depot Blackpool          26.06.45

HQ Air Command                            01.07.45

HQ British Air Force of Occupation Germany      19.09.45

[Types flown with the RAF were Tiger Moth, Hector, Harvard, Master,

Spitfire I, II, Vb and IX, Hurricane, Magister, Blenheim, Stinson, Oxford.]

There is a tragic end to Stanislaw Brzezina`s story. After the war he could not

return to Poland so he arranged for his wife Bozena and his son and daughter to

escape from their country. Shortly after their arrival in Germany Stanislaw, in

his capacity as Polish Liaison Officer with BAFO, had to attend a conference in London.

The aircraft on which was travelling crashed in fog. There were no survivors.

His family continued to the UK for Stanislaw`s funeral and remained in this country. 

Bozena died in 1981. Son Andrew has now retired from flying for Air UK and his sister

has retired from teaching. But how sad that having endured the sadness of the war years,

just at the time when it seemed as though some normality could return to the Brzezina`s

lives Stanislaw should lose his in the way that he did.

*

Members John Crow and David Jones contracted Prostate Cancer and have been through a very

difficult time as they have combated the problem. Both have survived to tell the tale

and felt that it may be useful for the rest of us to know what to look for and what to

expect if the disease is diagnosed.

The Prostate

Small Gland, Big Problem

  British men have a 1 in 12 lifetime risk of developing Prostate Cancer (PC), roughly

the same as a woman developing breast cancer. The risk is expected to rise to around

1 in 4 by 2020. There is an increasing risk with age. It is rare in men under 45 years.

Currently over 10,000 men die annually in the UK as a direct result of PC.

 Unfortunately, there may be no symptoms until the disease is well advanced.

It can also be confused with less dangerous conditions such as an inflammation of the

prostate (prostatitis) and a gradual increase in size of the prostate without any cancer

present (benign prostatic hypertrophy - BPH).

You may experience:

Poor flow of urine

Frequent trips to the toilet even during the night

A persistent feeling of 'not quite emptying the bladder'

Blood in the urine or semen.

A severe backache for no obvious reason

  Contrary to popular belief, PC is not restricted to the over 70s but is now becoming

more common in the 50 plus age group. There is an increased risk of developing PC if

you have a close family member who has suffered from the condition.

  There is great debate over the value of screening for PC. The best test for PC is

the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test which measures the levels of a prostate

protein in the blood.  When this test is combined with a digital rectal examination (DRE)

(a doctor checking the back passage with a gloved finger), the accuracy of the detection

rate of these tests ranges from 80% - 90%.  PSA testing is even more valuable when

carried out on an annual basis since a series of tests can reveal those who have a

PSA that is rising rapidly and are thus most likely to have PC.  If the level rises

above 4ng/ml you should talk to a urologist. DO NOT be put off by the GP that sends

you away with 3 months supply of antibiotics.

  The argument against screening is that the PSA test is not 100% accurate, and the

subsequent tests that have to be carried out to investigate the reason for a high

PSA result are both unpleasant and invasive.  It can cause a great deal of unnecessary

worry to the patient whilst these tests are being carried out.  Furthermore the tests

may have to be repeated on an annual basis which leaves the patient living under a cloud.

  If the tests show cancer to be present then a decision has to be made regarding treatment.

There are two main choices: surgery or radiotherapy.  The surgery option involves a 3-hour

operation and several weeks with a catheter.  The radiotherapy option involves intensive

sessions on a daily basis for 6 weeks.  Both are unpleasant and can cause impotence and

incontinence.  Additionally, hormone treatment can be used to slow down the growth of the

cancer.  A new treatment, Brachytherapy - implanting radioactive seeds - is another option

but, as yet, is not widely available and is usually only offered to patients with a PSA of

less than 15ng/ml. This is even more reason for early detection as Brachytherapy is, in most

cases, the least unpleasant of all the treatments currently available.  Unfortunately,

there are no easy options or `best buys`.

  Both John & David have PC. In both cases the PSA test saved their lives.

John has been down the radiotherapy route and David has had surgery. They are

both very happy to talk to anyone who would like more details of their experiences,

especially anyone who is worried about PC.

  John has studied the subject in quite some depth and is currently investigating

alternative treatments (nutrients and supplements) both as preventative and after care options.

  If members feel that they would like more details in a future Tiger News, please

advise Bob and John and/or David will be happy to oblige.

john.crow@virgin.net  Tel No 01234 823847

davidjones@mokefield.freeserve.co.uk  Tel No 01284 850348

*

Alan Ricalton

74 Squadron's Alan Ricalton`s grave is to be found in Sittingbourne cemetery -

it is well tended and Stuart Downs of the Duxford based Tiger Association made a

point of visiting it on Remembrance Day. He is asking whether we know of any other

Tigers` graves in the Sittingbourne area - and indeed whether there are any relatives

of Alan Ricalton still living in the vicinity. Perhaps you can let me know or contact

Stuart directly on tigercub@blueyonder.co.uk. Alan incidentally flew with the Tigers

during the Battle of Britain. He was killed when shot down near Hollingbourne on 17th

October, two days after the Squadron had taken up residence at Biggin Hill having flown

down from Coltishall.

*

Locksley Hall

I came across a bit of Tennyson recently in which he commits to paper a vision he

has of the future - this was written at the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign -

and which I will share with you now. It`s to be found in his Locksley Hall......

And at night along the dusky highway near and nearer drawn,

Sees in heaven the light of London flaring like a dreary dawn:

And his spirit leaps within him to be gone before him then,

Underneath the light he looks at, in among the throngs of men:

Men, my brothers, men the workers, ever reaping something new:

That which they have done but earnest of the things that they shall do:

For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see,

Saw the vision of the world and all the wonder that would be:

Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails,

Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales;

Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rained a ghastly dew

From the nations` airy navies grappling in the central blue:

Far along the world-wide whisper of the south wind rushing warm,

With the standards of the peoples plunging thro` the thunder-storm:

Till the war drum throbb`d no longer and the battle flags were furl`d

In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world.

There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in awe,

And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in universal law.......

And he actually used the word `pilot`!  A vision of the future indeed.

*

The Remembrance Project

  The BBC are embarking on an exciting new long term initiative under the working title of

The Remembrance Project and its aim is to build a unique, personal record of Britain

during World War Two on the internet. It is to be a community based project with

everyone being encouraged to access it and contribute to it and by so doing it will

ultimately provide a stimulating environment for World War Two research and will become

a unique new record of Britain at war.

  The aim is to launch the site fully in the autumn of 2003 although there will be what

the BBC terms a `soft launch` in May of next year which will give all contributors a

chance to evaluate the site and if necessary suggest refinements before the autumn

`hard launch` which will be open to everybody. The site will of course never stop growing

and developing - or at least that is the hope! I am told that a whole new range of

programmes concerning World War Two are scheduled for the next two years on BBC TV

and radio and this site will be an adjunct to them.

  The point of telling you all this is that the 74 Squadron Association have been

invited to contribute. I attended an initial meeting at Duxford in November on behalf

of the Association when the whole concept was explained. On the website will be posted,

initially, the squadron history. There will also be a prominent link displayed to our

own website, www.74squadron.org.uk - and that represents another major feature of the

BBC site. Links will be established to huge numbers of other organisations  - both

military and civil - for this  is not purely a military project, it's a social and

family history one too. Anybody who has an input about those years as an individual

will be as welcomed as the museum, regiment, ship or squadron..

  When it is fully developed, there will be the ability to search on line for relatives

and friends who fought in the war - or find out about the unit they fought with.

It will not duplicate what already exists. It will complement and supplement it.

And it will have benefits for all those organisations who participate too.

In our own case for example it will create another avenue by which ex Tigers can

get in touch with us.

  I hold a considerable amount of written and photographic material in the Association's

archive. All that you have all told me about your times with the Squadron over the years

is safely filed away! Thus, apart from the published books on the Tigers we are accumulating

a lot of additional material besides. Questions about 74 will be asked of the Association

via the new site. More information will I am sure be posted about 74 on the site.

As it develops I will certainly keep everyone posted. If I get stuck for an answer

to a question that may be asked I know who to come to!

  The one thing I can't tell you at the moment though is how to access the site  -

no web address has yet been allocated. As soon as there is something to see I will

of course let you all know! And finally let me emphasis that even if you are not on

line at home you can still participate. Most libraries, museums (and probably your

children or grandchildren!) allow free internet access.

*

High Flight 2002.                                  With thanks to Dave Roome

Notes supplied by the CAA and FAA.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth [1] and danced [2] the skies

on laughter-silvered wings. Sunward I've climbed [3] and joined the tumbling

mirth [4] of sun-split clouds [5] - and done a hundred things you have not

dreamed of [6] - wheeled and soared and swung [7], high in the sunlit silence [8].

Hov`ring there [9], I've chased the shouting wind [10] along and flung my eager

craft [11] through footless halls of air [12]. Up, up the long delirious [13] blue,

I've topped the wind swept heights [14] with an easy grace where never lark, nor

even eagle, flew [15]. And while, with silent lifting mind, I've trod the high

untrespassed sanctity of space [16], put out my hand [17] and touched the face of God.

[1] Pilots shall ensure that all surly bonds are duly slipped before taxiing commences.

[2] Movement around the cabin should be minimised and sky dancing is not encouraged.

Crew shall wear shoulder harness whenever seated.

[3] Sunward climbs must not exceed the aircraft's cleared maximum altitude

[4] Passenger aircraft are not permitted to join the tumbling mirth

[5] Pilots flying through sun-split clouds when under VFR shall maintain applicable

minimum clearances from cloud

[6] ....and don`t declare or perform these hundred things in sight of CAA/FAA staff

[7] Wheeling, soaring and swinging shall not be attempted except in aircraft rated

for such activities and within cleared weight and balance limits.

[8] If silence is experienced it is likely that a total engine failure has occurred

[9] Such action is to be attempted only by helicopters and Harriers

[10] Shouting wind forecasts are available from the local FSS and any unexpected

encounters with shouting winds are to be reported immediately

[11] Pilots flinging their eager craft are reminded that they are responsible for

maintaining separation from other eager craft

[12] Pilots are reminded that although halls may appear footless, the surface may

simply be obscured and observance of safe altitude is essential unless the foot is visible.

[13] Any experience of delirium while in the blue shall be reported on landing.

[14] See note 10

[15] Any impact with larks, or even eagles, shall be reported on landing

[16] Any flight in the high untrespassed sanctity of space shall be conducted under IFR

[17] Any person who attempts to open a cabin window or door in flight shall be